Pa. Turnpike Takes Next Step Toward Elimination of Its Toll Collectors

March 6, 2012 12:14 PM

(File photo: a Pennsylvania Turnpike toll plaza.)

Reporting Tony Romeo

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By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) — Pennsylvania Turnpike officials say they will further explore the possibility of converting to an all-electronic tolling system, after a yearlong study has concluded that such a conversion is feasible (see previous story).

Sixty-five percent of all Pennsylvania Turnpike toll transactions are currently done by E-Z Pass, and turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo says the decision to hire a program management firm to oversee the next phase of the study and possibly assist the Turnpike Commission in the conversion shows that the agency is serious about it.

“Yes, certainly by expressing our intent to bring a program manager on board, that does mean that we need to take the next step toward considering all-electronic tolling,” he told KYW Newsradio this morning. “It doesn’t necessarily mean 100 percent that we are going to get there.”

And all-electronic tolling doesn’t mean you won’t be able to pay cash when you use the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Cash customers would have photos of their license plates taken and get a bill in the mail.

But DeFebo says issues like that could prove to be the “stop signs” in a conversion to all-electronic tolling.

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Pa. Turnpike Takes Next Step Toward Elimination of Its Toll Collectors

http://www.city-data.com/forum/pennsylvania/1515144-pa-turnpike-consider-going-cashless.html#post23298690 PA Turnpike to Consider Going Cashless – City-Data Forum

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Rob

Thi is done in Maryland.. The new Toll Road just opened late last year.. Toll Rates are cheaper than if you get a bill.. Im not sure how its working yet since its only been a few months with those who get a bill in the mailand if they pay or obligated to pay if they werent the ones driving the vehicle..
Alan

Since they wont be paying employees, tolls will go down, right? Less overhead, lower tolls.
Greg

Bad idea. More job loss.
Rookie

about time!

leave one lane cash with a machine to take the money, even swipe a card and double those rates if you don’t use EZ Pass

makes no sense to pay those people to do that job, other than its probably union, never touch the money and have to handle it, count it, deposit it, etc. All electronic simpler, faster, less expensive. And no I am sure they will never lower the tolls we pay. Of course not.

Now eliminate the state store system and we are making some progress!

chris

You are punishing employees, drivers, interstate truckers, vacationers, and the poor. The camera billing in Florida and elsewhere adds up to $4 per trip to the bill. You are also going to remove tens of millions of dollars by closing up state stores…

JT

Why not just raise the tax 1/2 % on everyone and make the road free or when you renew your license , registration instead of $ 36.00 make it $ 40.00 and again make the road free it would maybe eliminate some of the corruption that we’ve seen over and over and over and over.
Johan

If they eliminate the toll collectors that means the toll will be reduced right?
Kevin

Why not just a machine where a cash payer could insert their ticket as well as cash and receive change?

Literally the same thing they do now, just without humans.
charW

Will they save since it will cost them time and money to collect in the mail. What if someone doesn’t pay…then there will bill collectors and so on…